


Tipping Point

by black_tea



Series: The Masks We Wear [1]
Category: Mindhunter (TV 2017)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Break Up, Developing Relationship, M/M, Mentions of Suicide, Panic Attacks, Season 1, alpha!Bill Tench, omega!Holden Ford
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-25
Updated: 2020-07-10
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:01:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,269
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24915790
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/black_tea/pseuds/black_tea
Summary: Holden has spent most of his life trying to blend in with the alphas and betas around him with mixed results. His attempts to conform only add to his increasing anxiety. Meanwhile the nature of their research is starting to affect Bill who is also wrestling with problems at home and his feelings for his omega partner.
Relationships: Holden Ford/Bill Tench, Holden Ford/Debbie Mitford
Series: The Masks We Wear [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1803040
Comments: 13
Kudos: 112





	1. Hard Pass

**Author's Note:**

> I will have the next chapter up in a week - it's finished, I just need to do some revisions.
> 
> I've decided to organize the Bill/Holden omegaverse stories in a series, so I can keep things arranged chronologically (I have plans for more, so many plans).

Holden eased the car around a curve and continued to think of avenues of conversation. He was probably talking too much. According to both Bill and Debbie, he talked a lot. But he respected Wendy and didn't want the entire drive to the airport to consist of awkward silence. 

“Is making small talk how you deal with your anxiety?” Wendy asked, neatly deflecting Holden's questions.

“Uh, yes.” In truth, Holden hadn't thought that deeply about it before, but it made sense. He had a habit of filling up the quiet spaces.

“OK” Wendy nodded, watching the scenery go by. She turned her attention back to Holden, studying him for long minutes.

Holden fought the urge to start speaking again. She was definitely right. He was nervous, therefore he talked. He watched the road instead, waiting for her to break the silence if she wanted to.

“You don't have to answer, if you don't want to.” Wendy began.

“Oh?”

“You aren't a beta, are you?” The question seemed to hold only mild curiosity. Holden couldn't detect any judgment behind the words.

He focused on the road for a moment – his urge to rapidly expel words from his mouth momentarily gone. His status wasn't a closely guarded secret. He worked with mostly betas, but there had always been a few alphas in the classes he taught, and the students talked. But he didn't like to broadcast his secondary gender either. If people wanted to believe he was beta, then he wasn't about to disabuse them of that notion. However, he couldn't see the harm in being honest with Wendy, especially since Bill knew anyway.

“No, I'm not – is it obvious? To betas, I mean. Alphas can obviously tell.” He stopped the flow of words before they became a torrent. A simple response to a not illogical question suddenly became imbued with meaning.

“It would depend on how familiar the beta is with omegas. You pass fairly well.” She was silent again for a moment, and Holden watched her from the corner of his eye, trying to gauge her reactions. If she had been an alpha like Bill, he'd be able to sense strong emotion from her pheromones. But female alphas and omegas didn't exist, so he had to use his other senses that were mostly occupied with driving.

“Since second generation heat suppressant became widely available, the university has seen an increase in omegas enrolling. I've been around more of them than the average beta has. Their body language is different, so are alphas.”

“Dexaphil became available when I was a junior.” It felt a little odd stating that even though it wasn't a big deal. Many omegas took Dexaphil at some point in their lives, but he never liked to call attention to that part of himself. He always felt awkward picking up his prescriptions at the drug store.

“Is that the cause of your anxiety?”

“Dexaphil?”

“No, trying to pass as a beta.” Wendy clarified, again with no implied judgment.

Holden shrugged. “I don't know. Probably a little.” Holden's brain rarely turned off, and he was fine with that. He liked to think about things, figure out problems, but this was something he didn't want to shine a spotlight on. He was the master of his own mind and body, yet not always comfortable with his own inner workings. Maybe that's what bothered him – if he looked too hard, he might find that he wasn't the master at all. He felt a momentary flash of fear that she'd ask about working with Bill the alpha, and he wasn't sure why it scared him. And in that moment, he was certain he didn't want to know why. He'd rather some doors stay closed. Firmly. With a good sturdy pad lock.

However, Wendy let the subject drop, not seeking to pry further into the recesses of Holden's mind and heart.

He watched her board the plane back to Boston, sorry she couldn't stay. The team felt more complete with her sharing their basement space, and her interest in their work thrilled him. In a way, he felt relieved that she knew what he was. It saved worrying about whether it would change their working relationship, if she found out. He still hadn't told Debbie. He intended to, but it never seemed like the right time. And what did one say in that situation? “Oh by the way, you happen to be dating an omega.” or “Debbie, can we stop by the drug store, so I can pick up my birth control.” The thought made him squirm. 

It shouldn't matter. Holden told himself that often. His body worked like any other male, it just had some unimportant extra features should he choose to mate. She seemed to enjoy their time together. He liked her, he enjoyed the companionship, sex felt good, he appreciated her intelligence, but he was well aware of his awkwardness around female betas. Betas in general, but especially females. He couldn't read them properly. They smelled – nice, but in a superficial way. There were no pheromones to clue him into how they were feeling. It left an uncomfortable blank spot in his perception. Pheromones didn't lie, but he had to accept Debbie's word that she enjoyed their time together, and he wasn't a disappointment in bed. With Bill, Holden could at least tell if he was genuinely pissed off, or just teasing him.

He stopped back at Quantico, taking the elevator down to the basement. Bill was still there, looking over the file they were putting together on Rissell. He glanced up at Holden over the top of his reading glasses. Holden found the glasses endearing, but would have died rather than admit it. He plopped down in his chair across from Bill who had gone back to reading and found himself still mulling over the conversation with Wendy. Holden absently began jiggling his foot.

Bill looked up again. “I told you you'd be less fidgety if you'd take up smoking.”

Bill's scent read, _calm._ So not really annoyed. Holden felt some tension leaving that he hadn't realized he had been holding on to. Though alpha's provided their own difficulty, it was less work. “Is it easy to tell I'm not a beta?” Holden blurted out before he could stop himself. The words seemed to hang in the quiet basement air. He instantly regretted the question leaving his mouth, but he couldn't take it back. _I do talk too much._

Bill set the papers down and sat up. “Holden, I could smell you the minute you walked in the room. Yes, it's easy to tell you aren't a beta.”

Holden fought back the urge to try and smell himself, which really wasn't possible. Consequently he had no idea how Bill perceived him.“That's not what I mean. If you couldn't smell me, could you tell I wasn't a beta?”

“I don't know. Maybe?” Bill sounded exasperated. “Why are you even asking me this?”

Holden couldn't look Bill in the eye at this point, and he felt himself begin to flush. “Wendy could tell, and I was just...curious, I guess.”

Though he wasn't looking at Bill, he was certain Bill was staring at him. “Holden, people are going to be able to tell you're not a beta, because you're not a beta. The one's who can't tell, you just fucking confuse.” 

Bill fell silent, and Holden assumed he had gone back to work. Instead he asked, in a softer voice, “Why are you even worried about it? You might feel calmer if you just accepted that you are what you are.”

“I don't have to tell you that many people have preconceived notions about omegas.” Holden replied seriously. “That we're promiscuous, make unreliable employees, lack control.”

“And you're afraid it will effect your career.” Bill finished for him. “Except that there are enough alphas walking around this building that just about everyone here knows you are an omega.” Bill pointed out.

“But Road School--”

“It's not uncommon for alphas to go into local law enforcement, and pretending to be a beta only confuses the betas, because you are not a beta.” He gave Holden a stern look.

“OK, point taken.” Holden was more than ready for the conversation to end. 

Bill checked his watch. “It's getting late. Why don't you head on home and go play at being a beta with your girlfriend.” 

“That's unfair.” Holden replied, even though it wasn't entirely. But he didn't want to think about that. “Everyone needs companionship.”

“Yes, Holden, but there are other ways to get that companionship that don't involve pretending to be something that you aren't and keeping secrets from your girlfriend.” He smiled to soften the remark so it was less of a sharp jab.

Holden couldn't say much as he had brought the subject up to begin with and was now regretting it immensely. He also didn't miss the innuendo in the last remark. _Other ways, indeed._ Other ways that meant permanently entangling himself with an alpha. Some how Debbie felt safer. 

Bill covertly watched his partner as he gathered up his things and headed for the elevator, the cloud of pleasant smelling pheromones traveling with him. He watched as Holden's form, slim in the tailored suit, disappeared. Bill recognized that he shouldn't be noticing Holden in this way. Or technically, as an alpha, he should be, but it created additional complications that Bill would need to sort out. He also knew with great certainty that Holden's need to pass as a beta was going to cause problems for his partner, and by extension the rest of their team. That needed to be dealt with as well.

* * *

“Wendy, do you have a minute?” Bill leaned against the door of Wendy's new office, glad that Shepard had the sense to make her relationship with the team official. “It's about Holden.” He lowered his voice and glanced behind him, but his partner was wearing a headset and busily transcribing.

Wendy sat down looking puzzled, and Bill closed the door behind him. “As a psychologist, would you say Holden's need to pass as a beta is a potential problem for him?”

“I'm not his therapist.” She pointed out.

“Theoretically speaking.”

She thought for a moment. “It's an understandable desire. He's been working in positions of authority, and it's difficult for omegas to gain the respect of alphas and betas as authority figures. Many people hold stereotypical ideas of what omegas are like due to misconceptions regarding their reproductive cycle and body language.” 

Bill sat down and gestured for her to continue. “Go on.”

“Omegas are generally smaller than their mates, and just as alphas are predisposed to behave protectively towards omegas, omegas are predisposed to encourage those protective instincts and avoid causing aggressive behavior in those around them. Behaviors like avoiding direct eye contact, making themselves seem smaller, being soft spoken are all classic omega traits. They are often assumed to be weak or overly passive by people who don't understand the reason behind the behavior. In reality, omegas are just as capable as anyone else.”

“That's all very interesting, and I've heard similar things. But what does that do to the omega?”

“Trying to pass? That depends. Some may naturally seem more like betas while others have to work harder to blend in. It can definitely be a cause of additional stress in an omegas life, but I can't tell you to what extent it affects Holden. Some increase in anxiety, certainly, but not being his therapist, I don't know what behaviors are natural for him and which ones he learned. I don't know how much pressure he puts on himself to conform. I also don't know how it affects his relationships with other people.”

“Wendy, do you have any idea how often I have to run damage control with him? And he hasn't even told his girlfriend.”

“Debbie?” Wendy looked surprised. “She doesn't know?”

“Not unless she figured it out herself--”

A knock at the door cut Bill off. Holden stuck his head in, oblivious to the fact that he was being discussed. “I finished transcribing...what?” He looked back and forth between them. “Did I interrupt something?”

“Not at all, Holden.” Bill smiled. “We were just discussing the possibility of hiring another person to help with transcription.” _Smooth._ Bill told himself. He mentally flicked through the information Wendy had just provided him, and none of it made him feel any better. He stood up to follow Holden, who had moved back into the depths of their basement space. He turned briefly back to Wendy. “As project manager, I just thought you should know what's going on.”


	2. Truth and Lies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Holden faces issues in his love life, and Bill gets oddly personal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story doubled in length. However, I have it pretty well all roughed out due to a writing binge over the weekend. Since I'm well ahead, I'm switching to twice weekly updates. Chapter 3 will be up this weekend.

Looking back with the benefit of 20/20 hindsight, Holden would declare that moment the beginning of the end. And that Bill was at least partially right. Holden doubted telling Debbie he had a secondary gender up front would have done anything other than ensure she never dated him to begin with. _Was it better to have loved and lost then never loved at all? Had they really been in love, or just working in that direction?_ But when Bill declared that his omega status was a big deal, or words to that effect, he had been correct. Being omega was a big deal, and now Debbie was standing in front of him gently shaking the purple and white Dexaphil box. She wasn't smiling.

Holden stared up at her from his seat on the sofa. They had stopped by his apartment after a concert, and he hadn't thought to hide his medication. The idea of stashing it away bothered him. It was one thing to not mention something, because it shouldn't matter. It was another to go out of your way to hide evidence of said thing. That implied a certain element of wrongdoing, and possessing legally prescribed medication was not a crime. 

“Why do you have this?” She asked, still not smiling.

“It's Dexaphil, it's--” he began. He might have had issues reading female betas, but it didn't take much to know he stood on shaky ground.

“Yes, Holden, I know what it is. Everyone knows what it is. Dexaphil is the first heat suppressant to come on the market that doesn't have serious side effects with long term use. It changed the lives of omegas all over the industrialized world. Why do _you_ have it? This isn't something betas are prescribed, and it has no street value.”

“I'm not a beta.” There. It was out. Four words that had the power to completely alter the way people perceived him. He willed Debbie to see him as the same man today that he was when they first met.

“Were you ever going to tell me?”

Holden shifted uncomfortably. “Sure, at some point, I guess.” One of Debbie's eyebrows rose at a warning angle.

“At some point. You guess. I'm your girlfriend, Holden.”

“Yes, it just didn't seem that important. I'm not used to talking about it with people, that's all. It doesn't change anything. I'm not any less of a man, because I take medication three times a year.”

She continued staring at him for a moment, before sitting down beside him. “And the birth control?”

“Oh, I can see how that would look bad. Look, it's a back up in case something goes wrong with the Dexaphil. It's always better to be safe than end up...” His voice trailed off awkwardly. This was a horrible conversation to have with one's girlfriend.

Debbie's face softened a bit. She could relate to avoiding unwanted pregnancy, but it wasn't something a woman expected to relate to her boyfriend about. “In the future, don't keep things like this from me, OK?”

“Yeah, sure.” Holden agreed, as a feeling of relief swept through him. _In the future._ As in they still had a future. However, something had subtly shifted. Being with Debbie didn't feel quite as easy after that point, though neither spoke of it. In some ways Holden would have felt better if she had asked him questions, even if they were embarrassing or awkward. It would have shown that she was alright with his omega status, or at least trying to be. But he wasn't about to rock the boat by bringing it up. He'd be leaving in a few days with Bill to interview Brudos again, and he was ready for the change of pace. He only hoped the shoes worked.

* * *

The shoe gambit paid off. They had gotten Brudos talking, but Bill seemed distinctly less enthused. “Was that story about your mother true?” He asked, as they made their way to the rental car.

“Yes, many people have embarrassing stories involving their mothers and sex.” As an omega, Holden had an extra helping of embarrassing stories involving his body's sexual functioning, but he doubted betas could relate. It would just make them uncomfortable – especially men. 

In Holden's mind, the interview had gone well. The ending was a bit much. Holden hadn't expected quite that level of enthusiasm over his gift of women's footwear, but they had gotten good insightful information instead of deflection and straight up lies. That had to be worth something. 

“If what we do isn't getting under your skin, then you're more screwed up than I thought.” Bill accused as they slid into the car. Holden didn't take any real offense. He decided Bill was overreacting to the interview, but his distress _was_ real. He could smell it on Bill as soon as the car doors slammed shut. As an alpha, Bill didn't need to cover his scent when they went on interviews leaving Holden with a momentary advantage over his partner. He could read Bill better than Bill could read him. 

Holden wasn't sure if he should attempt to distract Bill, or let him stew in silence. Being unable to sit quietly for any length of time decided his course of action. “Debbie found out.” He said. It seemed like a day for awkward revelations, so why not?

Bill's brow furrowed for a moment then cleared. “Oh? On her own? Or did you tell her?”

“She found my medication.” Holden fell silent, replaying the scene in his head. It didn't get any less awful with time.

Bill half turned his head to look at Holden and watch the road. “And?”

“Well, we're still together. She wasn't happy about it.”

“Of course she wasn't. She just found out her boyfriend is completely different than the image she had in her head. And you lied.”

“I didn't lie, I just didn't say anything about it. And I'm not a completely different person. Who I am didn't change – I'm not any less of a man.” He couldn't help but bristle as insecurity welled up. 

“No of course you aren't.” Bill said in a more conciliatory tone. “But you're far more complicated than she expected.” Bill fell silent for a moment, but not the distressed silence of a few minutes before. He seemed to be thinking. “I know you like to play at being a beta, but have you ever considered, I don't know, dating an alpha?”

“I do not play at being a beta. It's just easier if I let people believe I am one.” Holden objected. He didn't know how to respond to the rest of Bill's question as the answer was snarled in a knot of sexual needs that overwhelmed and frightened him, the need to fit in with his alpha and beta colleagues, and confusion regarding what he actually wanted. He had succeeded in distracting Bill, but only to his own detriment.

“I've never known omegas not to be attracted to alphas, so I doubt it's that.” Bill went on, dashing Holden's hope that the conversation would drop. 

“Says an alpha who's married to a beta.” Holden countered.

Bill shrugged. “I never said I wasn't attracted to omegas. I just didn't happen to marry one. So, what's your deal? What's so bad about finding someone you don't have to hide from and can fulfill your needs?”

Holden crunched up into the seat and stared at the highway. He had not expected the conversation to go in this direction. He assumed he would endure some ribbing, and I-told-you-so's from Bill and that would be that. Bill didn't usually get this personal. 

Bill glanced over at him again. “You're scared.” He held up a hand to forestall Holden's protests to the contrary. “With an alpha, you'd be in a more vulnerable position than with a woman, and you'd be admitting to the world what you are. I get it. That's two big things.”

Holden had no way to defend himself against the truth. “Why do you care so much?” being the only comeback he could muster.

“Why did you bring it up in the first place?”

Holden shifted to turn and look at Bill. “I didn't. I just mentioned that Debbie found the Dexaphil, since you knew about Debbie not knowing anyway. I didn't think you'd start inferring...other things about me.”

“They aren't difficult conclusions to come to. It's highly unusual to find an unmated omega that's your age. Most do so after high school or college at the latest. You're unusual, Holden, and that doesn't happen without a reason. You said yourself you've not had much luck with girls, yet you keep trying. You're scared, and I'm telling you, you don't have to be. I wouldn't hurt you.” 

“Uh, thank you, Bill.” Holden's gaze darted quickly to his partner, uncertain whether Bill was using himself to represent alphas in general, or if he meant something...else. “This seems unlike you. What would you have said to me if I was an alpha or beta?” He continued, not wanting to dwell on the odd comment.

“I would tell you to fucking get a grip, but you aren't a beta. That's my point.” Bill dropped the conversation at that point, and Holden spent the rest of the ride to the airport and the flight home chewing on the fact that Bill's observations hit uncomfortably close to the mark.

* * *

Holden lay on his back staring up at Debbie's ceiling while she hungrily kissed his neck. The warm weight of her half naked body straddled him, and he should have been turned on. What was wrong with him that a beautiful woman in lingerie didn't turn him on? Granted, the heels just brought back unfortunate memories. But there was something else, an undercurrent of anxiety hummed through him, dissipating arousal as effectively as a cold shower.

As an omega, his neck being kissed should have been incredibly erotic, but it was only making him uncomfortable. If Bill had been kissing his neck, it would have been alright. _Where did that come from?_ He wondered in a mild panic. He definitely shouldn't be thinking of his alpha partner while a beautiful woman in lingerie was kissing him. Meanwhile, he just wanted Debbie off of him. It felt wrong. The whole encounter felt off, and he couldn't shake the trapped feeling starting to swell in his chest. Finally Debbie realized that Holden wasn't responding the way she had intended.

“You don't like this.”

He gently moved her off of him, so he could sit up. “This, this isn't you.” Not the best thing he could have said under the circumstances, though whether it referred to Debbie behaving out of character or the fact that his own issues weren't Debbie's fault were uncertain. He decided that it was both. Debbie didn't feel 'safe' like she usually did, and he was beginning to think he really was screwed up.

Debbie rapidly pulled away. “That's the point.” She strode angrily from the room leaving Holden in a mess of confusion. He had clearly fucked up again, and it increasingly felt like Bill's observations were coming to pass. Maybe he was incapable of staying in a long term relationship with a beta, but where did that leave him? Alone? With an alpha? His stomach knotted in discomfort at that thought. 

Still, that night wasn't quite the end. The end came when it became obvious Debbie was showing interest in someone else. He didn't know if the Dexaphil had started a chain reaction culminating in the destruction of the most promising relationship he had since high school, or whether it would have happened anyway. But it hurt to think that Debbie might have found him some how less than, because he wasn't a beta, and he cursed himself that he couldn't give her what she needed to stay.

He considered telling Bill, but Bill and Wendy were already angry about his misstep at the school, and it didn't seem like the time to make Bill sit and listen to his personal problems. _Besides, what's Bill going to say? I told you so, date an alpha?_ He caught himself absently rubbing at his neck, and wondered again what was wrong with him.

* * *

Bill stood in his darkened office, the only light spilling in from the hall. In his hand he held photographs, horrible images. Dead mangled women, lives destroyed by the men he and Holden interviewed. His wife wrapped her arms around him from behind in a gesture of shared sorrow and understanding. He covered her hand in his own larger paw and took several deep breaths.

He felt bad that both the babysitter (now ex-babysitter) and his son had seen one of the photos. He didn't like that he had yelled. He didn't like that he was beginning to take his job related stress out on the people he loved. He also didn't like that Nancy's embrace left a hollow feeling where there should have been warmth and comfort. His marriage was more fragile than even his wife knew, but he had little will to change where it counted most. In that moment he knew that if the opportunity arose, he would be unfaithful to the woman holding him. The woman he had promised himself to. The woman he now realized could never give him what he needed. Nature had not equipped her in that way.

“Come on, it's getting late. Let's go to bed – we could both use some sleep. Things will look better in the morning.” His voice was rough with emotion as he turned and gently maneuvered Nancy to the bedroom.


	3. Off the Rails

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Holden helps crack the Devier case, but at what cost? Bill is severely put upon by the antics of his partner.

Bill attempted to tamp down his discomfort as Holden continued the interview with Devier. He'd already had to talk down a less than thrilled Chambers. He couldn't entirely disagree with Chambers either. It was the Speck interview all over again, and it appeared that despite having to ditch the first part of that interview and lie to the OPR, Holden hadn't learned from it. _His excuses are wearing thin, and then what?_ Bill wondered. It was a guarantee that Wendy would be appalled, and he couldn't see Shepard taking it much better.

Holden's use of crude language to describe sex and women was off putting, to say the least, even if it did get their subject talking. The fact that the lewd statements came out of Holden's mouth bothered Bill just as much. Holden who had an iffy dating history with female betas. _He's had years of practice faking interacting with betas. Now he's putting it to use in a way that's actually effective rather than awkward and confused. But that's not going to save his ass, if Shepard looks too closely at what he's been doing._

In the end, they cracked Devier, and the local police promptly forgave Holden his verbal trespasses. This offered Bill some short term relief, but it didn't solve his long term Holden problem.

* * *

Bill lit a cigarette and kept a wary eye on his partner and the three Georgia cops who had invited them out to a local bar. Holden was drunk, and one of the cops was an alpha. A young guy whose body language was impossible to miss, provided one wasn't on their way to ending up plastered. Bill interjected a comment here and there, but the alpha's attention was focused on Holden, and Holden was eating up the show of interest and camaraderie.

Of course he was. He always wanted to be accepted by the alphas and betas, and now he was getting what he wanted. _He's going to be even more impossible._ Bill sighed inwardly, feeling tired. He couldn't tell if the other two betas were clued in to the behavior of their friend, but the young alpha was doing everything in his power to egg Holden on and posture and preen for the omega's attention. _Was I that fucking obnoxious at that age?_ Bill wondered. He had of course dated omegas prior to Nancy. But it had been a long time ago, and the exact details of his encounters were made fuzzy with the passage of years.

He wasn't going to be able to stop Holden from running his mouth. That much was clear. He never stopped talking when he was sober, let alone with drinks in him. All Bill could do was make sure Holden got back to their motel room safely. He stood biding his time, waiting for the hour hand on his watch to move far enough, for the older betas in the group to start looking a little weary, so that he could extract Holden.

“It's getting late guys.” Bill finally interrupted, setting his empty glass down. He had been careful not to drink enough to get drunk. One of them needed their wits about them, and that job was clearly not going to Holden. His partner gulped down the little remaining amber liquid in his glass and stepped away from the table with a wobble. Predictably, the young alpha attempted to slide up into Holden's personal space, most likely to coax him into staying out later without Bill. 

Bill bristled at this. Holden wasn't the only one with instincts and hardwired behaviors. However, Bill had age, experience and natural confidence that kept him from over reacting and turning a minor infraction into a major territorial dispute. “Excuse me,” he shouldered past the other alpha with a minimum display of force, using natural swagger and eye contact to tell the other to back down. The youngster quickly did, and Bill was able to put a steadying hand under Holden's arm and steer him towards the door. 

Holden continued his chatter, albeit with a slight slur. Bill sighed and wondered again if he was constitutionally incapable of ever shutting up. “Wait,” he instructed, positioning Holden to lean against the side of the car while he unlocked the door. Once inside, he waited for Holden to fumble comically with the seat belt. Truthfully, Bill might have found the situation amusing, but the night as a whole wasn't sitting quite right with him. Holden got a confession and proved that their work was useful in creating a profile of the suspect, but at what cost when Holden's approach could easily come back and bite him on his cute little ass. Unfortunately, Holden was unlikely to change tactics as long as he was getting results.

“You need to be more careful.” Bill interjected into Holden's rambling.

“Huh?” 

“Getting drunk with an unknown alpha. Young guys like that can be trouble.”

Holden thought for a moment, the alcohol slowing the movement of his thoughts from his brain to his mouth. “We weren't alone...and I'm an adult.” He added the last part with an offended air made ineffective when the turn into the motel parking lot caused him to flop over into Bill who reached out to push him upright.

“Then act like it and take responsibility for your own safety. I know it isn't exactly fair, but it's the way it is. I don't want to see you get hurt, because some young dumb alpha thinks you smell nice and wants in your pants.” 

Holden tried his best to look offended, but then gave up. “Do you think I smell nice?” He asked, sounding genuinely curious.

“For fucks sake, Holden.” Bill growled, parking the car. “Yes, you do.” He went around to Holden's side of the car and opened the door. The omega had disentangled himself from his seat belt, but had also managed to slide further down into the seat.

“That's nice, Bill. You're nice.”

“Holden, just get out of the car.” 

He waited, arms folded across his chest for his partner to haul himself up on shaky legs before seizing him again under the arm and maneuvering him towards their ground floor room. Once inside, Holden started to flop down on Bill's bed, but the alpha pushed him in the direction of his own. “Your bed is over there. And I'm not undressing you, either.” _Because I am not some young dumb alpha who takes advantage of drunk omegas._

Bill sat down and pulled off his shoes, feeling exhausted. He could hear Holden banging around in the bathroom, so Bill stripped down to his undershirt and boxers, glad to lose the scent of the bar with his outer clothing. He settled back on the bed, relieved that their detour down south was almost at it's end. Holden reappeared in a tee shirt, pajama pants and one sock. He collapsed on his own bed and stared up at the ceiling for a time.

“Debbie dumped me.” He finally broke the blessed silence, before adding out of no where, “I've never been with an alpha before. I've always dated girls. I've never even kissed an alpha.”

“I'm sorry about Debbie.” Bill really wasn't. Nothing against Debbie, but it was a relationship doomed from the start by Holden's inability to be truthful about himself. “Never with an alpha? Really?”

“No-o.” Holden turned his head to regard Bill with large brown eyes. 

Bill sat in silence for a moment, not sure if he was surprised or not. “That – that's sad.”

“Is it? How?”

How to put into words the complex interplay of chemical reaction, instinct and emotion? With an omega, everything was just... _more._ “It's different, Holden. Just, different. Go to sleep, you're still drunk.” For once Holden did as he was told.

* * *

Holden looked up from the newspaper article on the Devier case both amused and confused. “I never spoke to a reporter.”

“Your baby faced drinking buddy trying to get in your pants probably did.” Bill pointed out.

“Damn.” Holden replied, but didn't look nearly concerned enough for Bill's comfort. If anything, he seemed pleased by the press' attention.

“The cop was homosexual?” Gregg asked, confused, and Bill didn't know whether to laugh or throw something. Gregg had apparently never been clued in that one of the men he worked with was an omega.

“No, an alpha.” Bill sighed, ignoring the look of comprehension dawning on Gregg's face. The dark haired beta regarded the omega curiously, as Holden scanned the article. “I don't think people need to be reading about us in the paper.” 

Holden looked up. “Why not?”

“This is a death penalty case.” Wendy cut in, clearly furious. “No one is going to want to talk to us, if they know we're using the information to fry one of their own. We are years away from being able to apply the information we've been gathering from the interviews, and what you did sounds a lot like coercion. ”

Holden started to protest again, but Wendy left for the sanctuary of her own office, while Gregg quietly backed away leaving Bill and Holden. He needed to find a way to get through to his partner, but it wasn't clear how without stepping on the other man's autonomy. He could nudge Holden in the right directions, but he couldn't force the man to take his advice. _Damage control again._ He thought as he went after Wendy.

He leaned into her office. “I don't know what else I can do without sticking a muzzle on him.”

“You're an alpha, you're supposed to be able to reign him in.” Bill bridled at the statement, and it went to show how upset Wendy was. She knew better than to make comments like that. 

“It doesn't work that way.” He growled. He didn't like alpha's who pulled that dominance crap on their omegas, it never sat right. Yes, he could behave in a way that would create an instinctive response in Holden, but at what cost to Holden and their working relationship? It was highly inappropriate to treat an omega colleague in that way, and the thought made Bill feel a little sick. He assumed this was merely Wendy at her wits end, but it still rankled.

She looked up from the telephone where she was attempting to purchase airline tickets. The first thought that flitted through Bill's head was that she finally had enough, was quitting the project, and heading home. Bill slid into an unoccupied chair. “Don't go back to Boston.”

Wendy covered the receiver with one hand. “I'm not, I'm going to Atlanta to talk to the DA.”

This opened another can of worms. The newspaper article wasn't ideal, but it wasn't a disaster. One of their own going down and telling the DA that the FBI had been wrong could do real damage. Not that Holden was entirely wrong. Some of his methods were problematic, and Bill was concerned at what might be underlying his attitude, but he didn't doubt they had the right man. Wendy, however, was not going to change her mind. When Holden showed up in the doorway, Bill did the only thing he could think of.

“You're going with her. You caused this mess, fix it.” Bill didn't know what to do with Holden anymore, but his behavior was becoming self destructive. Bill also didn't like to think about what might have happened if he hadn't been at the bar with Holden and the other cops. Wendy might have been laser focused on the effect the newspaper article had on their research, but Bill was concerned about more than just that. Holden had very much put himself in harms way without so much as thinking about it. He didn't know what Holden could do to stop Wendy from causing problems with the DA, but Bill was stepping back on this one. Maybe if Holden was forced to clean up his own mess, he'd realize the problems he was causing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry Bill, dealing with drunk people is just soooo much fun (I couldn't resist). Chapter 4 should be up Tuesday.


	4. Paying the Piper

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Holden has a very bad day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I added a couple of tags - this chapter does mention Kemper's suicide attempt. I just wanted to give people a heads up.

Holden started to realize Wendy's battle with the DA was likely to be the least of his problems. In a day that seemed bent on spiraling out of control, he received a bizarre phone call from a doctor in California. Kemper named Holden his medical proxy and attempted suicide. While in the midst of detangling Kemper's latest attention grab, Shepard, Wendy and Bill filed out into the hall in a distinctly ominous fashion. OPR was continuing it's investigation, because someone had turned in the original tape of the Speck interview.

Now Holden sat slumped in a less than comfortable chair waiting for his turn to be questioned. _Who sent the tape?_ He wondered. Bill might have suspected Wendy, but Holden wasn't so sure. Wendy might have been angry, but she was unlikely to do anything that might jeopardize their work. It had been Bill's idea to not include the first few minutes in the transcript and to destroy the tape to begin with....Holden's mind turned in restless circles.

_I should have been honest from the beginning and never cut the interview at all. We got what we needed out of Speck, so why should the language even be an issue?_ Clearly Wendy and Shepard made it an issue, but they would have gotten over it. And if Holden hadn't tried to cover up what he said, there wouldn't be some great secret for OPR to hang over their heads. The longer he sat waiting, the higher his tension grew until he was a mix of nervous energy and irritation.

Finally it was his turn, and he sat at one end of the table from the three men who questioned them before. Two betas, an alpha, and a tape recorder. The two betas were blank slates, serious faces but no scent beyond aftershave. Holden could smell the alpha just fine, but he couldn't pick up as much as he could with Bill. The lack of familiarity only allowed him to sense surface information. If he had to use a word to describe the man, it would be _intent._ Every bit of his posture screamed dominance, as the alpha attempted to stare Holden down. Holden fought down the instincts that demanded he make himself less of a target, that pushed him to show compliance. The alpha only succeeded in ratcheting up Holden's own ill feelings about the proceedings. He was no stranger to these kinds of ploys by alphas, and he disliked the need to try and dominate. He hated the fact that it effected him even more, though he tried hard not to show it.

He admitted to asking Gregg to alter the interview. In fact Holden, admitted to everything. There was no reason to drag Bill and Shepard through the mud for their desire to ditch the tape. He had made the statement to Speck that everyone found offensive, and he _had_ asked Gregg to make the alteration. _I should have taken the tape as soon as we got back from the first OPR interview._ He mentally kicked himself. Holden realized he didn't sound cooperative. He knew he sounded increasingly angry, but he found himself unable to stuff the negative emotions down. He was also aware that the alpha's scent was growing more and more annoyed, putting Holden further on edge. 

“Your behavior and language could endanger your place in the Bureau.”

Holden didn't know what he smelled like to the alpha, and that bothered him. He didn't want to show the alpha his fear, so he lashed back. “Language like you referring to Speck as a shit stain?” For one moment Holden felt triumph when the man closest to the tape recorder quickly switched it off in an act of obvious hypocrisy. _They're awfully quick to cover their own asses when they use 'inappropriate' language, but I get put under investigation?_ That moment proved to be short lived. The alpha had moved from annoyed to angry.

“Your partner, Bill Tench, has expressed concerns about you and your techniques.” The alpha said, clearly willing to play dirty by playing the omega and his alpha partner off each other.

Holden's stomach clenched. He both did and didn't want to know what Bill had told them. He definitely didn't want to hear it from these men. He didn't want the alpha to smell his hurt and know his attack scored. He got up and stormed out with the admonishments of the OPR men following him out the door. He ran into Bill outside.

“What did you tell them?” He asked, hurt and angry.

“I told them the truth.” If he hadn't been so worked up, Bill's surprise at this question might have given him pause. However, every emotion and instinct in Holden demanded he get away. He didn't know where, but he couldn't deal with the rest of the team or Bill at that moment. He remembered the call he received from the hospital earlier. He had been debating what to do – he felt a certain amount of responsibility for Kemper's predicament, and he needed to actually accomplish something in all this mess. Holden picked up the phone and scheduled a flight out to Sacramento. He could at least lay the Kemper situation to rest, if nothing else. Then maybe by the time he got back, he could face Bill again.

* * *

He turned in his gun and signed in at the desk. A nurse to directed him to Ed Kemper's room in the ICU. He didn't want to dwell on the OPR investigation or what Bill might actually think of him. And while Kemper's strange fixation with him was unpleasant, at least it gave him something to do besides think.

Holden didn't know what to expect when he set foot in Ed Kemper's hospital room. The giant lay propped up in a bed far too short for his immense height. His feet, chained together, hung off the end. Holden knew he didn't really want to be there. Whatever Ed claimed, they were not friends. Sitting by the killer's bedside, humoring him with a profile was not what he was in the mood for. He also had an unpleasant niggling sensation that Wendy and Bill might have had a point regarding the newspaper article. The article seemed to be a motivating factor in Kemper's latest ploy to catch his attention. Holden could have been responsible for Ed's death, had he been successful, and that made him angry. Anger to cover up the guilt – guilt being a far more uncomfortable sensation. He just wanted to be able to fix one of the things that had gone horribly wrong lately. He'd likely never know if Rodger would have gone on to abuse children, and Debbie was a lost cause. Bill....” His stomach clenched.

“Are you an expert?” Kemper asked him regarding his profiling.

Holden hesitated. “No, I'm not.”

“But you want to be an expert.” Kemper said.

“Yes.” Wasn't that the point? To prove himself. To prove that he was capable? _What am I doing?_ The recent few weeks had been tumbling out of control. _Am I capable? Why am I even here?_

Much to Holden's discomfort, Kemper began removing the bandages over this left wrist. “What are you doing? Don't – don't do that.”

“Someone left a ball point pen...”

The thought of Ed Kemper slashing his wrists with a ballpoint pen made him nauseated, and he definitely didn't need to see the fresh red wounds running down his inner forearms. He didn't want to feel the revulsion/pity/guilt. Holden wasn't sure what he hoped to prove by coming here, but he was now positive it was a mistake. 

“Don't you want to see?” Ed scooted down to the end of the bed, closer to Holden than was comfortable. “You know, women never had much interest in me.” Kemper began his sob story. It was nothing that Holden hadn't heard before, and his attention was caught between Kemper, and his problems back at Quantico, namely Bill. The thought of what Bill might have said to the OPR hurt like a sore tooth. It hurt in a deeply personal way Holden didn't expect, and it frightened him.

Holden suddenly jumped to his feet. Some instinct had warned him as Ed launched himself off the end of the bed, placing himself between Holden and the door. They stood facing each other. “I never knew you were an omega.” The giant of a man spoke calmly, as if they were having nothing more than a normal conversation between friends.

“How?” Holden hadn't thought to cover his scent before entering the hospital, but Kemper was a beta. He had no ability to distinguish between Holden's scent and any other person. His unease spiked. He should have been paying more attention. Nothing about Kemper was safe, and he had gotten too comfortable.

“The newspaper article mentioned it. You're unusual, you know. I feel like I should have noticed – it seems rather obvious now.”

Every muscle in Holden's body was tensed for flight, but Kemper stayed still and went on. “When I killed those women they became my spirit brides. They're always with me. I could kill you, and you'd always be with me too. There's no way to call the guards from the ICU. I could kill you and do some interesting things before they could stop me.”

Holden felt his body temperature go from flushed heat to icy cold as he began to tremble. He stared up at Kemper's looming balk. He'd never felt so physically small before. His pulse started to race, and his respiration became shallow and fast. He wanted out, away from this place and this man. Away from all the problems that had brought him to this point, this moment, where he found himself alone and far more helpless than he could have imagined.

“Why did you come, Holden?” Kemper asked.

“I don't know.”

One huge meaty hand landed on Holden's shoulder, making him flinch. “Truer words were never spoken.” Suddenly, he found himself drawn into an embrace. He could smell the sharp odor of disinfectant, feel the heat of Kemper's body and the fabric of the hospital gown rubbing against his face.

He froze for one moment, that felt like an eternity. Then fight or flight kicked in, and in a desperate rush, Holden struggled free and darted for the door, only slowing when he had made the hallway. He couldn't run anymore anyway. His heart felt like it was about to pound out of his chest, and he could barely get enough air into his starved lungs. Unable to go any further, he slide down the wall to sit on the ground helplessly gasping.

A nurse appeared by his side to ask what was wrong. “I can't breath.” He forced out, sure he was having a heart attack.

The nurse peppered him with questions before going to get help, and Holden slid further down to lay flat out on the floor, the tiles cool against his cheek, and he felt wretchedly alone. _I fucked up, I really fucked up._


	5. In Sickness and In Health

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bill helps pick up the pieces after Holden's adventure in California.

He came back to consciousness slowly, sounds drifting in and out. His eyelids felt heavy, and he couldn't keep hold of coherent thoughts. Every time he tried to grab for one, it would slip through his metaphorical fingers, and he would drift back down into the depths. He finally broke the surface when he jerked his ankle and found he couldn't move. Panic building, he struggled against whatever was keeping him immobile. There were voices, and he realized he was in a large high ceiling room. A face suddenly loomed above him.

“We had to restrain you for your own safety. If you can calm down, I'll release you.” The man wore a white coat.

Holden shed the last vestiges of drugged sleep and made the connection. The man was a doctor, he was in a hospital, he had been visiting Kemper. Holden nodded to the doctor to show he understood and worked to control his breathing. Finally, he felt his body relax, and he no longer had to gasp for air.

The doctor smiled cheerfully. “There, now we can remove the restraints. Do you have someone we can call for you? An alpha?” A cool hand tilted Holden's head to expose the side of his neck. “You don't have a bond bite.”

“Mmm...no mate.” Holden shifted his legs and rubbed his wrists, proving to himself that he wasn't trapped. He still felt muddled and sleepy. “Call Bill, Bill Tench.” He gave the doctor Bill's contact information. It seemed the natural choice, and Holden wasn't capable of thinking too hard. He awkwardly rolled onto his side in the narrow bed and curled up his limbs lest they end up being tied down again.

* * *

“The sedative we had him on should be fully worn off now. He's also on Thanozine – it's a suppressant similar to Dexaphil, just more powerful and injectable. It's commonly administered to omega inpatients, just in case. Can't go setting the alpha's off.” The doctor explained to Bill who was experiencing a rapidly changing emotional landscape. He was angry at being drug away from work. As if an OPR investigation wasn't enough, Holden had to land himself in even more trouble. He naturally worried for his partner, and Bill was bewildered that this even happened to begin with.

“Sedated?” Bill asked as he followed the doctor down the hallway.

“Oh, he was in quite a state. Had to be restrained for awhile.” The doctor cheerfully replied, as if Holden's behavior made no more than a mildly interesting footnote to his day. _Maybe it is just that. Maybe he's had patients completely lose it. How much trouble can one omega be? What am I thinking, this is Holden. The doctor must be a saint._

Upon seeing Holden, Bill was torn between venting his frustration and a near overwhelming desire to cuddle the man as every protective alpha instinct reared it's head. The doctor gestured to a chair near the bed, and Bill sat down not knowing what else to do. He felt positive about one thing – he never wanted to see the omega lying in a hospital bed again.

For his part, Holden looked confused and embarrassed. His suit had been traded for a hospital gown, and he lay flat on his back looking small and helpless. Bill discretely searched for his scent, muddled as it was with disinfectant smell of hospital and tamped down with the drugs he had been given. After a few moments he was able to isolate _Holden_ from the surrounding olfactory distractions. He smelled of illness and distress. 

“Mr. Ford, you experienced a panic attack. You'll have to watch that it doesn't become a full blown panic disorder.”

Holden's expression changed to alarm. “You mean it could happen again?”

“Yes. You need to manage your stress.” The doctor continued. “I'll also write you a prescription for diazepam--”

_“Valium?”_ Bill asked in surprise. Valium was a drug prescribed to unhappy housewives, and he eyed both the doctor and Holden with some measure of disbelief.

“Look, there's no point in beating around the bush. Unmated omegas often experience higher levels of anxiety than alphas and betas. So it's particularly imperative that you avoid stressors that will cause this kind of reaction.”

“Really, you don't say.” Bill interjected as if it were the first time he had heard such a thing. He gave Holden a meaningful look, increasing the omega's obvious discomfort.

“Oh yes.” The doctor replied. “I'd say we've seen it often, but Mr. Ford here is somewhat of an anomaly. We don't usually see omegas his age without mates. Don't let it worry you too much. Stress can be managed, and you're cleared to be discharged.” He reassured Holden before reaching out to shake Bill's hand.

Bill returned the doctor's handshake and dumped Holden's clothes on top of him. “I'm assuming you can still dress yourself.” He grumbled, before following the doctor to wait outside. He had no desire to see his partner naked. Or rather he did, which is why he needed to wait elsewhere. There were so many questions he wanted answers to, not the least of which was what the hell Holden thought he was doing coming out here by himself.

After a few minutes an uncertain Holden appeared. Bill turned to proceed down the hall assuming his partner was following. He heard Holden's footsteps stop and he turned back to where the omega was standing, looking pale and anxious. “Pull yourself together.” Bill hissed with an admitted lack of sympathy. However, his admonition got Holden's feet working again, and they made their way out of the hospital together.

Holden sat across the aisle from Bill on the flight back, hunched and small in his seat and never quite looking at the alpha. Bill found it odd to see him indulging in behavioral ticks that he had always been hell bent on denying himself. Away from the stink of the hospital, Bill could pick up more from his scent – the odd metallic note from the medication mixed with worry. Bill was not well versed when it came to anxiety disorders. He knew they existed, but he had grown up in a generation where males were expected to 'man up' and deal with whatever was eating them. However, he could tell by Holden's scent that he wasn't well. It lent credence to the doctor's concerns. _Something_ was going on with the omega. 

“This was a bad time for me to be gone from work, and you shouldn't go running off in the middle of an OPR investigation.” Bill chided.

Holden flinched, and Bill subsided. His frustration with his partner ebbing. “Look, I had a meeting with Shepard's replacement. I think everything's going to be all right. I told him you'd be free to meet on Monday. You'll be there, right?”

“Of course.” He replied, at least looking at Bill, though still not making eye contact.

“What caused the panic attack?” Bill asked, genuinely curious and concerned. “What did Kemper do?”

Holden's gaze moved back to the floor. “He...hugged me.” The omega finally admitted.

“He _hugged_ you?” Anger flared up in Bill's chest that trash like Ed Kemper would put his hands on his omega.

Holden watched Bill from the corner of his eye, clearly able to sense the alpha's anger, but not certain whether or not it was directed at him. “Christ, what a piece of shit.”

Some of the tension left Holden's shoulders. “I'm sorry Bill, I'm sorry you had to come out here over this.”

“Just be there on Monday.” Bill tipped his head back and attempted to doze. Part of him wanted to snag the empty seat next to Holden and put a reassuring arm around him. But they were in public, and he had no idea how Holden would react.

By the time they disembarked and made their way to where Bill's car was parked in the airport garage, it was late and they were both shuffling wearily to the vehicle. They drove in silence for awhile, Holden still giving off the scent of distress, though fainter now. Some of the drug laced edge had dissipate as well. The quiet was unusual in a car with Holden, and Bill switched the radio on low.

“Why did you really go running out there? What did you hope to prove.” Bill asked.

Holden shifted in his seat. “I don't know. The need to fix something? Guilt? I fucked up.”

“Yes you did.” Bill agreed without rancor. Nothing happened that wasn't fixable, and Holden had genuinely suffered for his sins. _Maybe he learned something._ “Kemper played you, and you bought right into it.” The thought of Kemper's arms around the omega still made Bill queasy. 

Silence fell again aside from the music playing softly on the radio. “Holden, the doctor was right.” 

“About?” Holden asked in a tone of voice that made it clear he knew exactly what Bill was referring to.

“You being an omega without a mate, and that it adds stress. How much pressure do you put on yourself to blend in?” He asked, his voice gentle now. “How often does it go wrong, because you mess up social cues or over compensate?”

“Is that what you think I'm doing? Over compensating.”

Bill glanced over at his partner. Holden had turned to look at him, his shoulder pressed against the back of the seat. “At least partly, yes.” In that moment, Bill made a decision. He pulled the car over. The dark and quiet provided a fair amount of privacy. He put the car in park and turned to face his clearly confused partner.

“You said back in Georgia, the night we interviewed Devier, that you had never been with an alpha before. Never so much as kissed one.”

“Did I?” He looked sheepish. “I had a lot to drink.”

Bill nodded. “Is it true?” He reached out to cup Holden's jaw, his thumb caressing his cheek. Holden's skin felt warm under Bill's hand.

Holden's eyes widened, and Bill could read surprise in every line of his body and in his scent, but he didn't attempt to pull away from Bill. He wasn't afraid. “Y-yes. Honestly, I think my mother preferred that I date girls.”

Bills lips curved into a smile despite the late hour and the events that put them in this place. That statement sounded like the Holden he knew. He leaned in slowly, giving Holden the chance to pull away if he wanted. But the other man didn't move, he sat stock still as Bill's lips nuzzled against his own. Bill teased the seam of Holden's mouth with his tongue, wanting to deepen the kiss, and the omega responded to the coaxing by parting his lips. Bill slid his tongue eagerly into Holden's mouth, noting that his scent had gone from distress to arousal, sparking a need deep in Bill's gut as the omega arched under his mouth and hands. He savored the warm softness of Holden's mouth before pulling back. 

Holden stared at him, his cheeks flushed and breathing rapid. He ran the tip of his pink tongue over his lips, tasting Bill on them. Just for that, Bill leaned in and kissed him again, his tongue swiping Holden's lips. Holden made a small pleased sound in the back of his throat, and Bill pulled away again before things got out of hand.

Bill sat up and put the car in drive. “There, now you know what it's like.”

Holden faced forward again, gently touching his lips with his finger tips and occasionally looking over at Bill. The alpha was feeling pleased with himself and trying not to show it. “That was...intense.” Holden finally said after they had been driving for several more minutes.

“Yes, that's what it's supposed to be like. It's all those extra receptors we have that betas don't.” They were nearing Holden's apartment building. “We aren't betas. It's OK that we aren't betas.”

Holden nodded, gathered up his bag and clambered out of the car, looking back over shoulder with a quick thank you. Bill smiled to himself as he pulled away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided to rework some of the material in 'Stress' that could have been covered better, and switch the POV to Bill (I like writing Bill, poor Bill). So that makes 'Stress' kind of an alternate take.
> 
> I'm working on more stuff for Bill and Holden. I probably won't start posting the next multi chapter work for a couple of weeks, but I plan to have something short and fun up before that. Thanks to all who have given this story a chance, I really appreciate it.


End file.
